Last Updated on July 8, 2023 by Sara Molnick

The Yankees have been in need of better performance from their left-field position. Meanwhile, Estevan Florial, a former highly regarded prospect, has been performing well in Triple-A. However, on Friday, the Yankees decided to bring up Franchy Cordero from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to replace Jake Bauers, who was placed on the injured list due to a left rotator cuff contusion. This leads to questions about the decision by the Yankees and wide criticism of the team brass.

Fans and experts are surprised that the Yankees have not given Estevan Florial a chance to play in the major leagues this year. Estevan Florial, who is 25 years old, has been performing exceptionally well in Scranton. He currently has a batting average of .295 with 21 home runs and an impressive OPS of .992 in 66 games this season. Among all the players in the International League, only Cardinals prospect Luken Baker has hit more home runs this season, with a total of 22. It is worth noting that Baker was recently called up to the St. Louis Cardinals earlier this week.

In the games he played this season with SWB, Franchy Cordero had a batting average of.345. He also had an OPS of 1.082, which shows how well he performed both in hitting and getting on base. Cordero hit seven home runs during those games but also had 28 strikeouts.

Radio host leads the fan reaction to the Yankees roster decision

Tiki, a radio host, expressed his confusion regarding the Yankees’ negative perception of Estevan Florial. He mentioned that there seems to be an unidentified issue or discrepancy surrounding the situation. Tiki also suggested that the player’s strong abilities as an outfielder could potentially make him the solution the team is looking for.

Estevan Florial is known for his speed and excellent defensive skills, but even though he has performed well offensively in the minor leagues, he hasn’t been able to replicate that success in the major leagues when given the opportunity. Tiki, upon seeing Estevan Florial’s impressive numbers this season, expressed disbelief that he is not being considered for a spot on the team, especially considering the Yankees’ current need for outfield support. It is worth noting that Estevan Florial is not currently listed on the team’s 40-man roster.

Tiki displayed surprise and disbelief over the Yankees‘ choice while looking at Estevan Florial’s impressive statistics. Tiki also acknowledged Florial’s ability to play the outfield without making many mistakes. Tiki observed that for at least a year and a half, the team has shown no interest in promoting Estevan Florial to the major leagues. This lack of desire to utilize his skills as a major league player puzzled Tiki, leading to questions about the team’s intentions and plans for Estevan Florial.

“I don’t know why they don’t like him,” radio host Tiki said. “Something is off. He might be the answer because he’s a good outfielder.”

Manager Boone clarified the Yankees’ selection

The Yankees had the option to promote Estevan Florial, but that would have required creating an additional opening on the 40-man roster. They already needed to make space to activate Carlos Rodon for his first game of the season on Friday. To accomplish this, they transferred Nestor Cortes to the 60-day injured list.

On Friday, Yankees manager Aaron Boone acknowledged that Estevan Florial’s not being included in the 40-man roster significantly influenced the decision. Boone also mentioned that Estevan Florial’s designated “role” was another factor taken into consideration.

After Estevan Florial was removed from the team’s roster on April 1, and no other team claimed him during the waiver process, he was sent back to Triple-A. As a result, he no longer has a spot on the team’s 40-man roster, which has made it more difficult for him to be called up to the active roster.

Estevan Florial’s drawback came into play

Estevan Florial has been striking out in Triple-A games at a rate of 28.7 percent. This is a significant weakness for him that opposing teams have been taking advantage of. Although there has been a slight improvement compared to his previous seasons in Triple-A, where he struck out over 30 percent of the time in 2021 and 2022, it is still not satisfactory.

Considering the high rate of strikeouts he is experiencing in Triple-A, it becomes difficult to imagine him consistently making contact with the ball in the major leagues. Boone mentioned that Estevan Florial has been performing well in Triple-A and has had a strong season. He added that Florial’s performances have kept him in consideration whenever there is a need for his services.

Despite not having a consistent chance to play for the Yankees since his debut in 2020, Estevan Florial has not performed well in the limited opportunities he has been given. In his four MLB seasons, he has a batting average of .185, going 10-for-54 in 30 games. While he possesses valuable skills such as speed, arm strength, and power, the Yankees have been seeking a corner outfielder who can hit for a higher average.

If the Yankees have no plans to use Estevan Florial, they could consider trading him for something valuable before the trade deadline. However, it’s worth noting that all other teams had the chance to acquire Florial for free in April, and it’s unlikely that his value has significantly increased since then.

Another possibility, although it may disappoint Estevan Florial’s supporters, is for the Yankees to keep him in Triple-A until they face an emergency where they need to call him up. Once their regular big-league players are available again, they could release him. This would allow Estevan Florial to continue developing and potentially contribute in the future. However, there are other outfield prospects like Everson Pereira who are also showing promise and offer more options and team control.

Regarding Cordero’s return to the Yankees, Boone specifically highlighted the production he demonstrated during his previous stint with the team in April.

Boone acknowledged that Estevan Florial had performed well in Triple-A this season and hoped that he could bring some positive energy to the team at the Major League level. The Yankees skipper mentioned that Estevan Florial had shown glimpses of his potential during his previous stint with the team in the first month of the season, where he delivered several impactful hits and demonstrated his power. Boone expressed his desire for Estevan Florial to contribute to the team’s performance in the upcoming game, particularly in the ninth spot in the batting order.

“What the hell? Wow,” Tiki commented. “And he can play the outfield, and isn’t gonna boot it around in left field…it’s at least a year and a half plus that they’re not interested in bringing him up…there’s just no desire to have him be a major leaguer, so what are you doing with him?”

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